Bhutan anti-corruption strategy / Myanmar Mandalay SMEs / Thailand CAC interview

NIACS 2019-2023 launched: Decoding DAMTSI for a happy, harmonious and corruption free society.  In an effort to reinforce ‘DAMTSI’ [Developing Accountable, Moral and Transparent Systems and Individuals] as the core Bhutanese value, His Excellency Lyonchhen Dr. Lotay Tshering, Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the ‘National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Strategy (NIACS) 2019-2023’ in Thimphu where he was joined by His Eminence Laytshog Lopen of Zhung Dratshang (Central Monastic Body), Resident Representative of UNDP Bhutan and Chairperson of the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Anti-Corruption Commission of Bhutan: https://www.acc.org.bt/?q=node/2078

Click here for the full National Integrity and Anti-Corruption Strategy (NIACS) 2019-2023:  https://www.acc.org.bt/pdf/NIACS%202019-2023.pdf

 

SMEs need policies tailored for growth to flourish: MRCCI.  The regional lobby group Mandalay Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MRCCI) pointed out that SMEs in the region faced a number of obstacles to sustaining and growing their businesses such as high costs, financing, access to technology, red-tape, skilled workers, transparency and corruption.

Thiha Ko Ko/The Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/smes-need-policies-tailored-growth-flourish-mrcci.html

 

Thailand: How does collective action against corruption work in practice? (Interview).  An interview with Mr. Pana Ratanabanangkoon, Project Director of the Thai Private Sector Collective Action against Corruption (CAC). Mr. Ratanabanangkoon explains how CAC serves as a platform for businesses to collectively tackle corruption in Thailand.

United Nations Development Programme and Pana Ratanabanangkoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5lxWPOmyTs&feature=youtu.be

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (17 August 2019): Samoa, PNG

The state of the Pacific as the 2019 Forum convenes. As with the O’Neill government, the critical question for Marape will be the handling of corruption, not because of external pressure on that front (nowadays much diminished), but due to domestic concern about the antics of PNG elites during the country’s liquid natural gas boom.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/state-pacific-2019-forum-convenes

 

SAMOA:

Corruption definitions changeable, journalism constant. Varying definitions of corruption pose a challenge to journalists covering corruption but it's far from insurmountable, an Australian journalist has told a workshop on reporting on corruption.

https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/47430

 

Workshop on Investigative Reporting for Samoa Journalists

https://youtu.be/TTi7gNiexE8

 

PNG:

'I will eventually get killed': Meet Bryan Kramer, Papua New Guinea's anti-corruption tsar. “My response was, God will decide when it is time for me to leave this earth and if it happens in my cause to fight corruption then so be it,” wrote Kramer. “I have no question of doubt I will eventually get killed for what I do. It goes without saying when you get in the way of those stealing billions in public funds, they will do whatever it takes to get rid of you.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/11/i-will-eventually-get-killed-meet-bryan-kramer-papua-new-guineas-anti-corruption-tsar

 

PNG National Airport Corporation boss arrested and Charged over fraud and Corruption.  Managing Director for Papua New Guinea National Airport Corporation Richard Yopo has been arrested and charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to allegations made against him.

https://news.pngfacts.com/2019/08/png-national-airport-corporation-boss.html

 

 

To know more about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project please contact the team members:

Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.org

Mihaela Stojkoska, Anti-Corruption Specialist - Pacific, UNDP, mihaela.stojkoska@undp.org

Maria Lee, Peace & Development Administrative Assistant, UNDP/UNODC, maria.lee@undp.org

PR for anti-corruption / Myanmar business data / Philippines rep suspended

The Importance of Public Relations in the Fight against Corruption (Blog).  “Of course a badly-designed PR effort can waste resources. Yet effective anticorruption PR helps accomplish several goals that other, “harder” anticorruption measures are incapable or ineffective at achieving on their own…”

Jason Kohn/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2019/08/09/the-importance-of-public-relations-in-the-fight-against-corruption/

 

MBEI: Measuring Myanmar’s business landscape with data for policymakers (Interview).  “Businesses require [government transparency] in order to effectively comply with law, but they also use it to plan for growth. For this reason, [it] cuts across many of the issues most important to Myanmar businesses, including land, corruption, regulation and more.”

Thompson Chau and Jon Keesecker: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/mbei-measuring-myanmars-business-landscape-data-policymakers.html

 

Sandiganbayan suspends Romblon solon over graft case.  The Philippines anti-graft court has ordered the preventive suspension for 90 days of Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona in connection with the alleged irregular purchase of fertilizers without public bidding, based on Section 13 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which requires preventive suspension for government officials facing charges for “fraud upon government funds”.

Gabriel Pabico Lalu/Inquirer.net: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1153144/sandiganbayan-suspends-romblon-solon-over-graft-case

Malaysia car inspection / Singapore shell accounts / Nepal CCIA operations

Graft putting unsafe vehicles on the road, says Puspakom man.  A Puspakom officer has alleged that corruption is rife among officers in the mobile service of the vehicle inspection monopoly; the mobile inspectors would take bribes to give the all-clear for vehicles that are not roadworthy – the amount depending on the complexity of the problem with the vehicle.

Minderjeet Kaur/Free Malaysia Today:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/08/12/graft-putting-unsafe-vehicles-on-the-road-says-puspakom-man/

 

Singapore steps up scrutiny of shell firms to combat money laundering.  Valerie Tay, who heads the anti-money laundering department at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said banks had closed accounts of several onshore shell companies over the past year, after detecting unlawful transactions.

Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-cenbank/singapore-steps-up-scrutiny-of-shell-firms-to-combat-money-laundering-idUSKCN1V2231

 

Anti-graft body steps up sting operation against corruption.  “According to statistics maintained by [Nepal’s Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority], it arrested at least 41 persons with bribe during sting operations conducted at different places of the country over a period of less than one month of the current fiscal [year].”

The Himalayan Times: https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/anti-graft-body-steps-up-sting-operation-against-corruption/

China companies crackdown / Philippines gifts-bribery remark / Afghanistan ghost soldiers

Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent’s war on corruption.  “[China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection], despite its interest in using tech company corruption cases to promote its anti-graft message, does not have jurisdiction over these tech giants, which are predominantly private business.”

Luna Lin/KrAsia: https://www.kr-asia.com/baidu-alibaba-and-tencents-war-on-corruption

 

Palace on Duterte’s ‘gifts-not bribery’ remark: Abogado ang Pangulo.  “Citing Republic Act 3019, [the Philippines Presidential Spokesperson] Panelo clarified that the anti-graft provisions do not apply to “unsolicited gifts or presents of small or insignificant value offered or given as a mere ordinary token of gratitude or friendship according to local customs or usage.”

Prince Golez/Politiko: https://politics.com.ph/palace-on-dutertes-gifts-not-bribery-remark-abogado-ang-pangulo/

 

Afghanistan Loses 42,000 Troops in Crackdown on 'Ghost Soldiers'.  “the number of Afghan troops and police on the books fell significantly, the report [from the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction] found, likely the result of the elimination of so-called "ghost" soldiers from the records…Previous SIGAR reports have cited the practice by corrupt Afghan commanders of listing non-existent troops or police on their rosters to draw their salaries, which are paid by the U.S.”

Richard Sisk/Military.com: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/08/02/afghanistan-loses-42000-troops-crackdown-ghost-soldiers.html

Afghanistan new project / Myanmar corruption culture / Bangladesh education recommendations

Anti-Corruption Efforts in Afghanistan to be Strengthened.  The Afghanistan Anti-Corruption, Transparency, Integrity and Openness (ACTION) Project, funded by the Royal Danish Embassy and to be implemented by UNDP, is designed to provide technical support to the government’s justice institutions, namely the Anti-corruption Justice Center (ACJC) to enhance their capacity to address high-level corruption cases.

United Nations Development Programme: http://www.af.undp.org/content/afghanistan/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2019/Anti-Corruption-tobe-Strengthened.html

 

Myanmar struggles to tackle corruption culture.  A survey commissioned by the ACC earlier this year supported that corruption thrived among government staff, with 90% of the respondents saying they experienced difficulty doing the business with the government unless they bribed officials.

Kyaw Ye Lynn/Andalou Agency: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/myanmar-struggles-to-tackle-corruption-culture/1552524

 

TIB places proposals for ensuring quality education.  For International Youth Day, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) placed 12 recommendations to ensure quality education for sustainable development of the country’s younger generation, among which includes “[e]nsuring merit-based recruitment process devoid of corruption in every government and private sector.” 

The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/city/international-youth-day-2019-tib-places-proposals-ensuring-quality-education-1782508

Fair business update / MNCs extraterritorial law / 'Zero Tolerance' criticisms

UNDP Fair Biz in ASEAN Quarterly Newsletter.  Check out UNDP ‘Promoting a Fair Business Environment in ASEAN’ project’s the latest updates for the period of May to July 2019, with highlights in areas of multi-stakeholder engagement, business integrity, and anti-corruption measures.

United Nations Development Programme: https://mailchi.mp/226680fb64f1/fairbizinasean-302327?e=5997629835

 

We Need An Extraterritorial Law To Hold Companies Responsible For Clean Global Supply Chains (Blog).  “…thanks to pervasive corruption in much of the developing world, cutthroat competition for [Multi-National Companies] customers will inevitably lead to more disasters like Rana Plaza [in Bangladesh], unless MNCs make it clear that they won’t buy from suppliers who violate local health or safety laws.”

Disha Verma/The Global Anticorruption Blog:  https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2019/08/05/we-need-an-extraterritorial-law-to-hold-companies-responsible-for-clean-global-supply-chains/

 

Even “Tough on Corruption” Proponents Should Worry about “Zero Tolerance” Rules (Blog).  “The question then becomes whether it is better to maintain a formal “zero tolerance” position, while recognizing that in practice deviations are inevitable, or whether it would be better to formally and frankly acknowledge that harsh mandatory sanctions are not always appropriate, and to build in exceptions and some degree of balancing into the official legal framework.”

Guy Rubinstein/The Global Anticorruption Blog:  https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2019/08/02/even-tough-on-corruption-proponents-should-worry-about-zero-tolerance-rules/